The Day I Bought a Star
星をかった日
The Day I Bought a Star
星をかった日
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What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
0/5
None
Fear
1/5
Mild
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
0/5
Simple
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
This animated short is a poetic visual fairy tale about a young boy who leaves a rigid environment and enters a more rural, dreamlike world. The main sensitive elements involve a child running away from home, a few mysterious characters, and mild moments of uncertainty when he is alone in the desert or dealing with strange unfamiliar events. The intensity stays very low throughout, with no meaningful violence, no sexual content, no substance use, and little to no concerning language, so the film is broadly suitable for young children. The bigger challenge for very young viewers is not fear, but understanding, because the story uses symbolic and surreal imagery that may feel unusual or confusing. Parents may want to watch alongside younger children and briefly explain why the boy leaves, who the unusual visitors are, and how the magical world works. Children around age 4 can usually handle the content, though many will be more engaged by the pacing and ideas around age 5 or 6.
Synopsis
A young boy is tired of the city and escapes into the country. Two strangers trade him a strange seed. The boy accepts and the seed sprouts into a miniature planet, which continues to grow.
Difficult scenes
At the beginning of the story, the boy lives in a strict, controlled city and then leaves on his own. That idea of choosing to leave home may unsettle some young children, especially if they do not fully understand the reasons behind his departure. The desert journey and the moments when he is alone create a mild sense of uncertainty. This is not a strongly scary sequence, but very sensitive children may feel slightly uneasy because the setting is empty, hot, and unfamiliar. The meeting with the two strange traders, the mole and the frog, has a fantasy tone that may feel unusual for very young viewers. Their appearance and behavior can seem odd, even though the scene remains gentle and not directly threatening. When the seed grows into a tiny planet, the film becomes highly dreamlike and symbolic. There is no real danger in this passage, but children who prefer clear, concrete storytelling may feel confused and need a little explanation.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Short film
- Year
- 2006
- Runtime
- 16m
- Countries
- Japan
- Original language
- JA
- Directed by
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Main cast
- Genzō Wakayama, Yo Oizumi, Kyoka Suzuki, Ryunosuke Kamiki
- Studios
- Studio Ghibli
Content barometer
Violence
0/5
None
Fear
1/5
Mild
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
0/5
Simple
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
This animated short is a poetic visual fairy tale about a young boy who leaves a rigid environment and enters a more rural, dreamlike world. The main sensitive elements involve a child running away from home, a few mysterious characters, and mild moments of uncertainty when he is alone in the desert or dealing with strange unfamiliar events. The intensity stays very low throughout, with no meaningful violence, no sexual content, no substance use, and little to no concerning language, so the film is broadly suitable for young children. The bigger challenge for very young viewers is not fear, but understanding, because the story uses symbolic and surreal imagery that may feel unusual or confusing. Parents may want to watch alongside younger children and briefly explain why the boy leaves, who the unusual visitors are, and how the magical world works. Children around age 4 can usually handle the content, though many will be more engaged by the pacing and ideas around age 5 or 6.
Synopsis
A young boy is tired of the city and escapes into the country. Two strangers trade him a strange seed. The boy accepts and the seed sprouts into a miniature planet, which continues to grow.
Difficult scenes
At the beginning of the story, the boy lives in a strict, controlled city and then leaves on his own. That idea of choosing to leave home may unsettle some young children, especially if they do not fully understand the reasons behind his departure. The desert journey and the moments when he is alone create a mild sense of uncertainty. This is not a strongly scary sequence, but very sensitive children may feel slightly uneasy because the setting is empty, hot, and unfamiliar. The meeting with the two strange traders, the mole and the frog, has a fantasy tone that may feel unusual for very young viewers. Their appearance and behavior can seem odd, even though the scene remains gentle and not directly threatening. When the seed grows into a tiny planet, the film becomes highly dreamlike and symbolic. There is no real danger in this passage, but children who prefer clear, concrete storytelling may feel confused and need a little explanation.